Galbraith Confirms AEG Move

After the High Court injunction and media hiccup that followed his controversial sacking from Live Nation, former U.K. managing director Stuart Galbraith became free to reveal his future plans as of January 14.

Fired for negotiating a move to AEG while still under contract to LN, it’s no surprise that Galbraith has announced he’s joined his former company’s biggest global rival.

"After that many years, it wasn’t the best way to leave," Galbraith told Pollstar, having been with the company since 1999, when SFX bought the U.K.’s Midland Concert Promoters. He was a director and partner with MCP and stayed on with SFX through its sale to Clear Channel Entertainment and the subsequent spin-off of Live Nation in 2005.

He’d risen to U.K. music managing director by the time he was suddenly dismissed for breach of contract at the end of August, although reports on the U.K. live music business grapevine suggest he wasn’t the only London-based LN promoter discussing a potential future with AEG.

Galbraith had been due to announce his tie-up with AEG on October 3, but his publicist at the Outside Organisation was forced to scrap a dozen press interviews when Live Nation pointed out that talking to journalists about his plans would put him in breach of the restrictive covenants in his LN contract.

That gagged him from talking about his new Kilimanjaro Live Ltd., a joint venture funded by AEG, until the middle of this month, prompting speculation as to whether he named his company after the volcano because of its size or because both happened to be dormant at the time.

The London-based KLL will operate as a festival organiser and a major tour promoter for clients likely to include Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse, AC/DC, Stereophonics and Simply Red, but will also have a division dedicated to the development of emerging talent.

"What’s in the clubs now can be in arenas in a couple of years’ time," Galbraith explained, outlining how he’ll be recruiting three new talent bookers to source and develop acts from the grass-roots level.

Having helped create and build Live Nation’s Download, Wireless and Hyde Park Calling festivals, Galbraith has put KLL in the outdoor market with its purchase of a 51 percent share of Wakestock Festival, Europe’s largest wakeboard and music event.

The three-day 15,000-capacity festival (July 4-6) at Cardigan Bay, north Wales, will be twinned with a new, similarly sized event due to launch at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, June 27-29.

As far as international events are concerned, KLL is in talks with Paul Tollett of Goldenvoice, which produces the California-based Coachella and Stagecoach festivals in cahoots with AEG, with a view to create more co-promoted events in the U.S.

Galbraith’s new company, which is based in the Outside Organisation’s block on Tottenham Court Road, will initially consist of Galbraith and two assistants, although the three bookers and the requisite back-up staff are expected to be on board by the middle of the year.

Mary Green has already been recruited from Hammersmith Apollo and her role will include tracking ticket sales. Debbie Scorah, formerly with Harvey Goldsmith, has joined as operations director.

Apart from the foothold gained from the success of The O2 arena, AEG’s U.K.-based European presence now includes its own promoting business. Headed by Rob Hallett, it will largely dealing with urban and pop acts, plus partnerships with three other London-based major show producers.

Prior to the partnership with Galbraith, it had bought the half-share of Marshall Arts that was owned by Deutsche Entertainment AG (DEAG) and also teamed with Goldsmith on acts including Bruce Springsteen.

Galbraith says all parties focus on different areas of the market and all are confident that they can operate independently without treading on each other’s toes.

The telephone contact point for Kilimanjaro Live Ltd. is + 44 (0) 207 399 7070. E-mail is info@kililive.com